Al-Qaeda's American-bred leadership

By
Marc Thiessen

In recent days, critics in this section have pounded Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) for holding hearings to examine radicalization in the American Muslim community. They've accused him of "providing fuel for bigots" and "stoking irrational fears." Really? It is hardly irrational for the chairman House Committee on Homeland Security to examine radicalization in the American Muslim community when top leaders of all three al-Qaeda networks that now threaten the homeland today have roots in this community.

Consider:

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The spiritual leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen born in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Awlaki lived in the U.S. until he was seven, moved to Yemen, and then returned to the U.S. to attend college, earning a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University and a masters degree in education from San Diego State. He went on to become one of the most influential radical preachers in the Muslim American community, leading mosques in Fort Collins, Colo., San Diego and Falls Church, Va.. While serving as an imam in California, Awlaki consulted with two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, Nawaf al Hamzi and Khalid al Mihdhar, and has been linked to the Fort Hood shooter, the Christmas Day bomber, group of Canadian Muslims who were charged with plotting attacks on the Parliament building in Ottawa, the six men convicted of planning an attack on Fort Dix, N.J., and the 2005 London subway bombers, among other jiahdists. He is now hiding out in Yemen with other AQAP leaders, plotting new attacks, and is considered so dangerous that President Obama has reportedly authorized the CIA to take him out with an unmanned drone. According to Obama counterterrorism advisor John Brennan, AQAP is "the most operationally active node of the al-Qaeda network." According to National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter, it poses the most significant risk to the U.S. homeland. AQAP's most influential cleric spent years here, preaching in American mosques and radicalizing his followers. This is not worthy of investigation?

Al-Shabab/al-Qaeda in East Africa. In the summer of 2008, the Somali terror group al-Shabab formally merged with al-Qaeda, and last year released a video showing its fighters chanting "Here we are O' Osama. We are your soldiers O' Osama" and pledging to carry out jihad for him across the world. The group's military commander is an American citizen, Omar Hammami, also known as Abu Mansoor al-Amriki ("the American). Hammami grew up in Daphne, Ala., just outside of Mobile, and was raised by a Syrian Muslim father and a Southern Baptist mother. According to media reports, he converted to Islam in high school and attended the Islamic Society of Mobile, before departing for Somalia, where he rose through the jihadist ranks. In a video posted on YouTube, Hammami justifies the Sept. 11 attacks and affirms his group's allegiance to Osama bin Laden. Al-Shabab is thought to have recruited more than 20 Americans to train as suicide bombers. You don't need fighters with U.S. passports if your only intent is to conduct operations in Africa. They man who would deploy these American-born terrorists hails from Alabama. Again, this is not worthy of investigation?

Al-Qaeda Central. The current operational commander of al-Qaeda -- the position held by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed when he planned the Sept. 11 attacks -- is an American citizen, Adnan Shukrijumah. According to the New York Times, Shukrijuma is a "Saudi-born naturalized American... [who] spent part of his youth in Brooklyn, went to college in Florida and has long been on the F.B.I.'s most-wanted list." CNN reported that he is "the eldest son of a Saudi Imam [who] came to America as a young child. They settled in Brooklyn, New York, where his father preached at a mosque. They lived at a nearby house before moving to Florida in the mid-'90s. His father, who is now dead, opened a small mosque near Fort Lauderdale." Shukrijuma left the country before the Sept. 11 attacks, and trained at an al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan alongside Jose Padilla for a KSM plot to blow up apartment buildings in a major American city using natural gas. In 2002, the CIA began asking al-Qaeda detainees, "Who will be picked to lead the next big attack on America?" Abu Zubaydah, KSM and other detainees all pointed to Shukrijumah. Press reports at the time described Shukrijumah as the "next Mohammed Atta," was believed to have been "anointed the head of a new cell with orders to attack targets inside the United States." A global man hunt ensued, but Shukrijumah went to ground, evaded capture, and rose through the al-Qaeda ranks. He was indicted last July in connection with the plot by Najubullah Zazi to blow up the New York Subway system, as well a terror plot against the U.K. Yet the fact that the man who now occupies KSM's old job was radicalized during his 15 years living in the United States is not worthy of investigation?

Bottom line: When three top leaders of the three most virulent al-Qaeda networks are American citizens, it is ridiculous to suggest that the chairman of the House committee responsible for homeland security is out of line to investigate the subject of radicalization in the American Muslim community. Rep. King is not "stoking irrational fears" or "providing fuel for bigots." He is doing his job.

Like Muslims, everybody who is "different" has had a struggle assimilating into America, but look at the evidence of their success. Immigrants from almost any country you can name have taken crap from "mainstream" America about their color, their customs, their language, their clothes, and their religion. But their progeny have gone on to become the stuff of real America.

Most people forget the uphill struggle their ancestors had in America because they were Catholic/Irish/Jewish/German/ etc., They forget, or worse, are ignorant of the dark predictions of earlier generations of "real Americans" of the "Irish" threat, the "Puerto Rican" threat, the "Jewish" threat, the "Italian" threat, the "black" threat, now the "Muslim threat" etc., etc., etc.

Yes, there is a current of Islamophobia in America, just as there is still anti-Semitism, racism against blacks/Hispanics/ or anyone from east of the Bosporus, and almost complete disregard for native people who were, after all, the first "Real Americans". Luckily, there are "many well-informed" people among us. So long as "the more perceptive ones" vigilantly call these unfortunate folks on their crap, there will be a time when Islam is as much a part of America as sushi, jazz, and soccer moms.

If terrorist sentiment were limited to illiterate peasants and nomads there would have been no attacks such as those of 9/11. Terrorism becomes dangerous when a cause is taken up by those who, in addition to a quite common ends-justify-the-means philosophy, have significant resources of technical knowledge and wealth. A just society normally does not severely offend such individuals as they have more constructive things they could do instead. I believe the leadership of the current crop of Islamic terrorists exist because US foreign policy towards Arabs and Muslims has been cynical and disgraceful for decades and no one knows it better than the American educated Arab/Muslim elite.

Mr Thiessen, why is it everything you write for this paper has zionist stink all over it?

Let me tell you people something,

"Al-Qaeda" was gutted by western and Israel intelligence agencies years ago. They now use the carcass to move about the Middle East undetected.

Your own government is involved in many of the crimes attributed to Al Qaeda.

Islam has been stimulated by zionism to the point it responds violently.This makes for effective propaganda to continue such things as this fake "war on terror" and US aid to zionist Israel. Who btw has just asked us for 20 BILLION dollars more on top of what they already pump us for every year. For what, 60+ years now?

Your enemy is already here.And while they've got you looking for Muslims in your underwear, they're unfolding their own dark agenda in the background.

I have no intention of living under sharia law, fundamentalist Christian law, or this zio-nazi New world Order.

Those of you working to implement your personal brand of control over me should place your trays in the upright position and brace for impact.

Mr. Thiessen--Investigating Muslim-Americans because of Anwar al-Awlaki makes about as much sense as investigating Italian-Americans because of John Gotti; investigating Evangelical Christians because of Scott Roeder; investigating Jews because of Bernie Madoff, or Catholics because of pedophile priests. Any Congressman suggesting an investigation of these religious/ethnic groups because of the actions of these individuals would be run out of town. And justifiably so.

Moreover, as someone who has supported and justified terrorism by the IRA, Peter King, can hardly call the kettle black.

Mr. Thiessen--Investigating Muslim-Americans because of Anwar al-Awlaki makes about as much sense as investigating Italian-Americans because of John Gotti; investigating Evangelical Christians because of Scott Roeder; investigating Jews because of Bernie Madoff, or Catholics because of pedophile priests. Any Congressman suggesting an investigation of these religious/ethnic groups because of the actions of these individuals would be run out of town. And justifiably so.

Moreover, as someone who has supported and justified terrorism by the IRA, Peter King, can hardly call the kettle black.

Mr. Thiessen--Investigating Muslim-Americans because of Anwar al-Awlaki makes about as much sense as investigating Italian-Americans because of John Gotti; investigating Evangelical Christians because of Scott Roeder; investigating Jews because of Bernie Madoff, or Catholics because of pedophile priests. Any Congressman suggesting an investigation of these religious/ethnic groups because of the actions of these individuals would be run out of town. And justifiably so.

Moreover, as someone who has supported and justified terrorism by the IRA, Peter King, can hardly call the kettle black.

I have no problem with a criminal investigation of these men, provided they are actually suspected of committing a real crime.

And if proof is discovered, I have no problem with extraditing them, or even going into those countries and force-ably extracting them for the purpose of standing PUBLIC trial for their crime(s).

I do have a grave problem with a President illegally, and un-Constitutionally ordering a hit on any American citizen, no matter who heinous the crime(s) they may be suspected of, without their having been convicted in a free and open trial. That is tyranny, pure and simple. That's why we went to war with England, and killed a whole lot of British soldiers and German mercenaries, as well as killing a considerable number of fellow Americans who disagreed. That's grounds for impeachment, conviction, and punishment.

"Bottom line: When three top leaders of the three most virulent al-Qaeda networks are American citizens, it is ridiculous to suggest that the chairman of the House committee responsible for homeland security is out of line to investigate the subject of radicalization in the American Muslim community. Rep. King is not "stoking irrational fears" or "providing fuel for bigots." He is doing his job."

He does have a point! The trials would have to be done humanely -no torture behind closed doors - and publically to avoid unneccessary containment of citizens.

It is interesting to point out though that all of these American born terrorists are not in America. Maybe that's what we should focus on rather than Muslims in this country?

Another thing that should also be investigated is just how did the CIA help in Afghan war against USSR and what kind of brain washing they did to get free recruits. This whole thing has blown up after that. There was hardly a case of suicide bombing before that. We need to learn what mistakes were made so that they can be avoided going forward.

I don't think rational persons are going to summarily disregard the dangers posed by the Islamic jihadists. I also don't think that rational persons are going to lose their sense of proportion regarding such matters, and "proportion" is where King is in danger of losing the battle. His response seems counterproductive to me. Closed-door hearings with DHS, FBI and other experts, including Muslim American ones, might be in order, although I'm not sure King has made much of a case. But as things are, I think King is the poster child for publicity-hungry, pandering, cynical politicians.

these are murdering,lunatics. these scum have been working on this jihad to eliminate the infidel since the 60s. once the sand rats started the oil flowing,they no longer needed the wests baksheesh and started putting their allah BS into play.do they care how many of their own will go to wherever dead rats go? disgusting culture and religion

Thiessen: "AQAP's most influential cleric spent years here, preaching in American mosques and radicalizing his followers. This is not worthy of investigation?"
*************************

Yes, HE certainly is. Why didn't you do it on your watch? Why did you let him and bin Laden and any number of other known radicals go? How is "besmirching" (Hannity's favorite word) the 99.99% of good Muslim US citizens going to help us catch this guy?

Peter King is America's modern day McCarthy. This is just part of the wholesale assault by the republican party on anyone in the USA who is gay, non-white, non-christian, etc, etc, in short, anyone who is part of that evil, dangerous world out there.
The people in the European community have been living with various forms of terrorism for decades, including, but not limited to, al Qaeda, and somehow they have avoided trying to turn their countries into police states to deal with it. We could learn something from them if we weren't so self-righteous with our grotesquely exaggerated sense of moral superiority.

Political correctness has morphed assimilation to mean that the existing citizens have to change to accept whatever the new arrivals beliefs are in the name of diversity and tolerance.

You end up with contorted situations where secular-humanist societies have to accept the practice of Sharia Law for specific groups in violation of all of their national laws and ideals. Or, citizens having to give up free speech in order to not offend groups who might murder people.

It is all very backwards. But as throughout history, the groups who will use the most violence usually win.

Do you have any evidence that this is an "assault" of any kind, other than a simple fact-finding hearing regarding a known threat from a know portion of a community?

I doubt it, but we'll wait for your response....

================================
abqcleve
In what specific way(s) does holding Congressional hearings constitute a "besmirching" of 99.99% of good Muslim US citizens?

And of course logically, how would you know that 99.9% of Muslims are good citizens? Where's your evidence before you castigate millions of Republicans in your defense of people who aren't being accused of anything?

A similar list could be created for radical Jews or radical Christians, but Thiessen and his neocon colleagues (now including Rep. King) never get scared about about anybody other than brown-colored Muslim people. The only thing missing from this article is Thiessen's usual suggested solution for every problem facing our nation----torture those folks until they bleed......... The Post should be embarrassed to print this.

You are full of hate and misinformation. Islam came into the world killing jews and christians who wouldn't convert.

I seriously doubt that you'll find any recorded historical evidence that jews killed Muslims who wouldn't convert to judaism.

As for Zionism and Islam in modern times...The Muslims control dozens of countries - in each of which there is absolutely no chance that jews or christians can outvote the Muslims, assuming voting is allowed. While in the small state of Israel, if Muslims were to gain a majority, the jews would be overrun in a heartbeat - and unless you have no brains you know this...so your antiZionism is strictly garbage and reeks of a lack of mental acuity on your part.

Why are people upset? Could it be because the hearings are to serve nothing other than a political purpose?

From Peter King himself:

"I determined early on that to make the most meaningful impact, the lead witnesses would be Muslims who believe their community is being radicalized and that Muslim leaders are not sufficiently cooperating with law enforcement."

I'm full of neither hate or misinformation. I simply call out the most clear and present danger to the world. And it's not radical Islam.

I've been chasing zionists a damn long time and know more than you do, that's all.

Now let me give you a little history lesson.

You said "I seriously doubt that you'll find any recorded historical evidence that jews killed Muslims who wouldn't convert to judaism"

Modern Jews are NOT biblical Hebrew Jews. They've all but died off from the world now. What has taken their place are white European Jews, many of whom were converted by force centuries ago. They were ill tempered even. They lived in pagan tribes that controlled northern Europe in that day. Now they control Israel. And they're still ill tempered.

The Palestinians, many of whom are decendents of ancient Jews, were converted by force to Islam.

Now these fake Hebrews are busy killing off the only true semites left in Israel, the Palestinians.(with OUR help,BTW)

Even Stephen King on LSD couldn't have come up with this strange of a story.

DisneyBreak:(Nemo)
Please don't complain about the sharks killing the other fish. When you do it upsets the sharks in the "fish are friends not food" club. These are the good sharks. They don't eat the other fish and should not be upset. They are our friends.
How come most of the psychobabble lovers say we need to have discussions? Then, when someone wants to discuss a tender subject, before the discussion even takes place, they scream and rant and throw accusations.
Me thinks the "LEFT" doth complain excessively.
There are none so blind as those who will not see.

"The truth is, there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al Qaida. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity representing the 'devil' only in order to drive the TV watcher to accept a unified international leadership for a war against terrorism. The country behind this propaganda is the US . . ." -- Pierre-Henri Bunel

"Ana raicha Al Qaeda" is colloquial for "I'm going to the toilet". A very common and widespread use of the word "Al-Qaeda" in different Arab countries in the public language is for the toilet bowl. This name comes from the Arabic verb "Qa'ada" which mean "to sit", pertinently, on the "Toilet Bowl". In most Arabs homes there are two kinds of toilets: "Al-Qaeda" also called the "Hamam Franji" or foreign toilet, and "Hamam Arabi" or "Arab toilet" which is a hole in the ground. Lest we forget it, the potty used by small children is called "Ma Qa'adia" or "Little Qaeda".

So, if you were forming a terrorist group, would you call yourself, "The Toilet"?

Adam Smith: "I believe the leadership of the current crop of Islamic terrorists exist because US foreign policy towards Arabs and Muslims has been cynical and disgraceful for decades and no one knows it better than the American educated Arab/Muslim elite. . . . "

The "current crop of islamic terrorists" believes in the creation of a caliphate, the imposition of islamic law and war against the infidels who impede those objectives. They are, quite simply, waging a holy war to expand dar al islam at the expense of dar al harb as they are commanded to do by Mohammad himself. And they will continue to do so even if Israel ceases to exist tomorrow; even if every person in america was as "broad minded and fair" as you believe yourself to be; and even if not one American had never ventured beyond our own borders after the year 1800. The ONLY thing that will cause them to cease their war against us is to either 1). convert to islam , or 2). agree to submit fully to islamic law as second class citizens in exchange for their "tolerance" of our continued existence as non-muslims. Now, they may seek to capitalise on whatever elements of US policy/behavior are most fashionable to hate in order to "rally the troops" (as popularised by the left), but those things are only what the ancient greeks called "profasis" or pretexts, which have and will continue to change over time. The true grievance and the true goal is exactly as I have outlined above.

I don't doubt that radicalized American Muslims are a threat to us. I do however doubt that a Congressional investigation will do any good at all. Can anyone name another investigation that actually accomplished anything?
I think this is a Republican smokescreen to take attention away from their flagging efforts to cut spending.

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